chapter 2
--
Shuichi waited in the kitchen, knawing on the cold, greasy bacon. The show had ended half an hour ago. The glasses girl had won and Yuki respectfully gave her a kiss on the cheek. She'd blushed.
He didn't let himself get jealous. He was too distracted. The commercial for the adoption agency had come on again and he was feeling a little sick about it. Although the kids were living an okay life with all the other kids, they had no families, no real brothers or sisters, and only teachers and aids to keep them well. They were there for a reason; they were mistakes, incompetent people abandoned them, or incompetent people got arrested and left them alone. They almost all had a bad story behind them, and they were paid for their pain by a life without family. Some of the kids were teenagers. They'd been there their entire lives.
The more Shuichi thought about it, the more he really wanted to help. He doubted Yuki wanted to adopt a kid – he doubted he himself wanted to adopt a kid. He knew Yuki would come home from the show and leave again for a doctor's appointment.
And he planned to visit the kids. Just to find a way to help.
The door opened, and there was a low, murmured, "Tadaima."
"Yuki!" Shuichi squealed. "Okaeri." He stumbled over, wrapping his arms around the other's neck. Delicately, he pecked a kiss and smiled. "Where did you go?"
Yuki was a bit taken aback. "Where – oh…well, I was on a talk show."
"Oh! Was it fun?"
"No…I thought maybe you'd have watched." The disappointment in Yuki's voice was obvious, although he tried to hide it. "The girls were annoying."
"Girls?"
"Yes. I had to kiss one."
Shuichi feigned a look of hurt shock. "Yuki…!"
"Publicity, you'll probably do it too someday."
"Never!"
"Fine."
Shuichi giggled as Yuki tried to push him off.
"Shuichi, I can't walk with you draped all over me like this." Giddily, Shuichi swung his legs up, pressing them against Yuki's chest. The writer stumbled, putting his arms under the boy, grumbling as Shuichi nuzzled his neck.
"Carry me!"
"Shuichi, I have a doctor's appointment soon."
"I don't care. Why did you want me to watch the show?"
There was a pause, and Shuichi could feel Yuki's heart. It was a moment or two before he answered.
"Because I don't know."
"Oh." Shuichi hopped down from Yuki's arms, gave him another peck on the cheek, and then walked towards the hall. "Gonna call Hiro."
"Fine," Yuki said again. He went into the bedroom and closed the door.
Happy for no real reason at all, Shuichi hopped to the phone and dialed Hiro.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Hi. You've called Nakano's number. If you're Ayaka, call me back later. If you're Shuichi, come over later. Anybody else, if I'm not here I am busy somewhere else or asleep. Probably asleep. Leave a message unless it's pointless." Beeeeeep.
Shuichi had been mouthing along with the recording he knew too well, and didn't leave a message. After hanging up, he dwelled on it, then thought of another number.
Ring.
Ring.
"Moshi moshi na no da!"
"Sakuma-san!" Shuichi yipped happily. "Want to go out with me?"
"Aren't you going out with Yuki?"
"I mean to a PLACE!!!"
"OH!" Ryuichi giggled. "Sure - we can go to a place!"
Which is how they ended up in front of the adoption agency half an hour later.
It was a nice looking establishment, definatly not what Shuichi'd pictured in his mind - a horrible, crumbling brick building with a witchy lady brandishing a stick and cowering children huddeled under barred windows. Instead, there was a nun watching over some young kids, who were playing on a swingset that was settled amongst cropped, green glass. No crying or whips. They seemed happy enough.
"This is a cute place!" Ryuichi squealed, hugging Kumagoro to his chest. "You told me it might be terrible!"
Shuichi mumbled and grumbled, ignoring this and heading for the door. He stepped inside, where there was a lobby covered in drawings done by little children. Shuichi felt his cheeks redden. Some of the drawings were better than his own. A sister was walking over now, smiling.
"Hello, gentlemen. May I hel-AAAH!" She took a step backwards, putting her hand to her chest. "Shin-Shindo Shuichi-kun?!"
"H-hai," Shuichi stuttered, blushing brighter. Ryuichi grinned at his friend. He knew Shuichi wasn't used to this quite yet.
"Was this schedualed?!" she was shrieking now. "Oh goodness - nobody told me!"
"No, no...I just came to visit the place...I...I might possibly adopt."
The nun was near tears, and at this point even Ryuichi was frightened. "Oh, Shindo-kun, you don't know, do you? The kids here love your music. We've had a fund for the past few months saving to go to a concert. But you just...showed up...and you might ADOPT?! Oh...would you mind going in to see the kids? They'll die, they'll just die."
Shuichi restrained himself from asking why she would want small children to die, and produced a dewy smile. "I wouldn't mind seeing the kids..."
"Da," Ryuichi commented. Shuichi turned to look and rolled his eyes at the sunglasses the older man had put on. "This is your moment, Shu," he grinned sheepishly. "Little kids are the best."
The nun was ushering them into a room now. It was a beautiful large room, with huge windows that allowed streaming sunlight to filter in. There were a few T.V.s, couches, video game systems, toys everywhere and beanbag chairs for all. It was filled with maybe forty to fifty children, ranging from ages two to fourteen. The older kids, Shuichi saw, were huddled on the couch, focusing on some show. There was also a DDR machine. A little kid was playing it, and would have been failing miserably, had it not been for the teenager playing with her. She couldn't even reach each arrow.
There was music, and it was Ryuichi who tapped Shuichi's shoulder, pointing. Shuichi turned.
In one corner, a CD player was booming Rage Beat, karaoke style. A boy of maybe seven was singing loudly into a microphone.
"Doko ni mo tomaranaiiii-!"
Ryuichi was giggling like mad as the boy twirled around, obviously trying to imitate Shuichi's girly stage moves. It took a moment, but Shuichi relized it.
He was grinning. He loved it.
Quickly, he jostled over to the corner as the boy was finishing his solo and joined in.
"I want new wooooooooooorrrrllld!"
The music continued to play, but the kids had stopped dancing and singing. The T.V. suddenly died and the teens were looking over. Little kids dropped their toys. The song ended and the room was drenched in absolute silence.
"Shindo...Shuichi?"
Blinking, Shuichi turned to see a small, amber haired boy looking up at him with wonder and amazement.
"For...real?"
With a slight nod, the singer showed his reply, wordless. The boy shrank back as one of the teenagers screamed.
"It really is - it's Shindo-san!"
Deja-vu: Shuichi was horribly reminded of the way the reporters had stormed him that time the tabloids discovered him and Yuki. People were piling all around, children of all ages, screaming teens and squealing, confused three year olds. They were all talking, and he couldn't catch a single word. Somebody mentioned an autograph. Somebody mentioned Yuki. Somebody was screaming right in his ear. He could feel little kids running all around his legs. It was a sea of people...
Gaah.
"Everybody, everybody!" the nun was shouting desperatly. At her words, the kids fell silent again. "Please, please! Shindo-kun came here to visit you children and possibly look into adoption. He won't want to take any of you home if you treat him like THAT!"
It was in a startingly sudden second that the crowd dispersed, not without an occasional glance over their shoulders. Shuichi laughed a bit. The entering, rush of people and departure had happened in under a minute. These kids were damn obidient. Ryuichi whistled.
"Shuu-chan, look."
Shuichi laughed at a pair of girls who had just inserted some video tapes of Bad Luck's music videos. It seemed the entire room was now in a Bad Luck stupor.
Almost.
The amber haired boy from before was crouched in a corner, alone and fiddling with his shirttails. Ryuichi caught Shuichi looking and nudged him forward. Frowning, Shuichi stepped towards him, kneeling down and smiling gently.
"Hey."
"Hello, Shindo-san," the boy mumbled respectfully. Shuichi decided he'd be here for a while, so he nudged himself to sit cross legged. The boy looked up, surprised and a little awed.
"What's your name?" came Shuichi's bright reply to this odd expression. The boy shrugged.
"Chickabiddy."
"Chickabiddy? Is that your real name?" Shuichi cocked his head to the side. "That's a wierd name." He gasped and clasped his hands over his mouth. Shimatta! He'd barely spoken a word and was already insulting the poor kid.
"I know it's waired. It's not my real name. The kids call me it." The boy struggled over some words, and Shuichi got the impression he might have a speech disorder.
"Do you have a speech disorder?" /Wait - NO! That's not what I meant!/
The boy's feathers were officialy ruffled. "No, I just can't said waired. It's a stupid word. And I'm not a baby. I'm five."
"I'm twenty," Shuichi said, making conversation. "So what is your real name, Chickabiddy?"
The boy opened his mouth to reply, then shut it quickly.
"Hmmmmm?" Shuichi inquired.
"Cody," the boy finally said. He didn't repeat it, but Shuichi was satisfied.
"I guess you can't wait to find a family, huh?"
"No," Cody said, harsh and quick. "I hate familes."
"WHAT?!"
"I don't want a family. They're horrible. They come in and poke my friends and take them away forever. I hate familes."
Shuichi was shocked beyond belief. What about the commercial, the happy children being carried home by strong fathers and pretty mothers? The children eagerly awaiting a chance to go home with their new parents?
"You don't want ANY family?!" Shuichi cried. "That's stupid!"
Cody was silent, and Shuichi felt like grabbing a block and smashing his head in with it. He'd already called the kid wierd, mentally challenged, and now stupid. His mind raced.
"I really like your music, though," Cody said quietly. "You're a really nice person."
"Eh?"
"I said I really like your music, you're a really nice person, and I'm really glad to meet you."
"Well so I really am too." /Jesus. No wonder I failed Japanese./
Cody blinked, blushing slightly and staring at the floor. Shuichi knew he was embaressing him. He probably felt that Shuichi was mocking his speech.
"I think if you had a family, you'd like it," Shuichi said firmly, after a few good minutes of silence. Cody just shook his head quietly, still blushing and staring at the ground. "How do you know?"
"I just do."
Shuichi frowned.
"What if you...came to live with my family!"
Surprised, Cody looked up. "Your...family?"
"Well, it's not much of a family, but there's Yuki, and Hiro, and Ryuichi, and Tohma, and Suguru, and everyone! They're all my family."
Cody's eyes were shining a little. "You...you want to adopt me?"
"I do," Shuichi said solidly, as he stood up. "Sakuma-san! Let's get going, I need to make some plans!" He grumbled as Ryuichi rolled past him, children stuck to him like glue and giggling as they reached for Kumagoro.
"Tickling me na no da! Shuichi, help!" he laughed merrily.
Shuichi smirked smugly, looked back at the tiny Cody in the corner, and, as an afterthought, ruffled his hair gently.
"I'll come back. Don't get taken, you hear?"
Cody nodded, trying to hide the little smile he was wearing. Shuichi winked. He spoke to the nun for a moment, explaining he would be coming back for his friend later. She thanked him again and he was finally free outside. Once there, he leaned against the side of the building, putting a hand to his head and moaning.
"What have I done?"
--
to be continued.
--
follow the arrow and click, onegai
shimasu.
||
||
||
\/